Mourinho: Rashford too good for England Under-21s

Manchester United manager José Mourinho has suggested that it would not make sense for Marcus Rashford to play for England at this summer’s Under-21 European Championship.

Rashford has hit a rich vein of form recently, scoring three goals in his last four matches – including an extra-time winner against Anderlecht on Thursday night to send United through to the Europa League semi-finals – and is eligible to play for Aidy Boothroyd’s side in Poland.

However, the 19-year-old is already a regular for the senior England side, having become the youngest Three Lions player to play at a European Championship when he came on as a substitute against Wales in France last summer.

When asked whether it would good for Rashford to play for England’s under-21s this summer, Mourinho said (via Sky Sports):

I don’t want to go in that direction.

I just feel that when a player reaches a certain level, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to drop levels.

It’s like now I am going to play in the under-23s to win, let’s say a derby against Man City? No.

Nicky Butt doesn’t take him to play that game. He could by age, so when you reach a certain level – and he’s reached that level for a long time – I don’t think it makes sense, but the power is in their [England’s] hands.